When we come to today’s civilization, we see that we could not exist without science. Indeed science has made possible large sources of energy, elaborate machinery, modern agriculture, rapid transportation and so on. Science makes possible so many things on which modern civilization depends, like automobiles, satellites, televisions, telephones, radios, nuclear reactors, aero planes, microscopes, nuclear weapons, international missiles and innumerable oilier instruments.
Science is a human enterprise through which we come to some understanding of the biological, chemical and physical aspects of the world around. The development of concepts is an essential part of learning and building up the ideas about the scientific aspects of the world is the business of science education. In attempting to understand something new, scientists use existing ideas and test the extent to which they fit the evidence from the new situation.
It may also reveal the need to modify, or reject entirely the use of existing ideas. Similarly in science education, the ideas that an individual has, change gradually along with the experience and the ability to reflect on experience accuse.
Science is an important force in the contemporary world which affects the social, economic and technological aspects of development. All the discoveries and inventions in the field of science have created new urgent needs for every country. In order to meet these requirements every country has to recognize its educational system and reconstruct its curriculum. Pakistan is a developing country and in order to make progress like other countries, we must. Pay our attention towards science education. Only effective and comprehensive science education can play best role in influencing the attitudes and responsibilities of the children. It cannot be denied that science education forms the basis of national development. But unfortunately due to certain reasons we have not been succeeded in making science education effective for the students as well as for the development of the country. In order to face the new challenges in the fields of science and technology, and to develop sound background and to build strong foundation we have to pay full attention towards teaching of science. Although the government leas felt the need of desirable changes and many projects have been launched to overcome the issues imaging in science education in Pakistan but still there are so many problems laced by science teachers in the teaching of science subjects at secondary level.
Education in general and science education in particular plays an important role in the socio-economic development of a nation. It not only provides and engineers to play leading role in a developing society. Both UNDP and UNESCO hold the view that three programme are five energizers that promote economic development in a society. These five energizers for human resources development (URD) are education, health and nutrition, the environment employment, and the political and economic freedom.
Though these five components are closely inter-linked and interdependent but UNDP considers education the most important one. It is education that provides base for development of all important factors. That is why many countries place major emphasis on education policy. When designing signing their plan for achieving socio-economic development the role of education in this field cannot be over-Emphasize. The NWFP for Pakistan makes such question in the following words.
“Several data now confirm that expenditure incurred on education does represent an investment in human capital. It has been shown for instance, in developing countries that the rate of return (both private and social) on human capital, by and large exceed, the rate of return on physical capital”.
Since the last decade, or so, government of Pakistan has been trying to achieve self reliance, and self-sufficiency in the economic field. Efforts were made to adopt various policies toward, achieving this goal. The teaching of science in schools, colleges and universities is tremendously important to the welfare of the nation. For excellent teachers do more to insure a supply of scientists than does any other single group. There are not nearly enough adequately trained, effective and dedicated science teachers to meet demand. The material rewards of leaching arc not so great as in some other occupations, or as they should be, but there are other considerations that for some more than compensate. I know of no greater satisfaction than that of a teacher who instructs, counsels and inspires young men and women to use their talents to maximum advantage, whether this can be in science or elsewhere in society.